A restaurateur appointed by the Government to carry out a comprehensive review of the UK food system will take centre stage as this year’s Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) turns its attention to the relationship between the land, the people who produce our nation’s food and consumers.
Leon co-founder Henry Dimbleby - who in 2019 was tasked with investigating the entire food system ‘from field to fork’ - will discuss the UK's food strategy and its place in society under this year’s OFC theme of ‘growing a healthy society’.
Joining Dimbleby in a stellar line up of speakers at the event which takes place at Oxford University between 7 and 9 January will be NFU president Minette Batters, Natural England chair Tony Juniper, Friends of the Earth CEO Craig Bennett, and Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning.
Among the attendees at the three-day OFC will be members of Thrings’ nationally-renowned Agriculture team - head of agriculture Duncan Sigournay, and partners Mark Charter and Robert James - who will use the event to keep abreast of developments from the food and farming sectors.
Thrings – which has the largest specialist agriculture team of any law firm in the UK – is also returning as co-sponsors of the OFC Oxford Union Debate - ‘this house believes cheap food is worth the price’ – as well as the post-debate supper at Christ Church.
Elsewhere - and subject to any post-election Cabinet reshuffle - Defra secretary of state Theresa Villiers MP will address delegates, while Poran Malani, India director of operations at Martin Sorrell's digital marketing venture S4 Capital, will deliver the annual Frank Parkinson Lecture - named in honour of the renowned British engineer who was a staunch advocate of British agriculture.
The conference will also debate how agriculture can balance a low carbon economy with healthy, nutritious, affordable food, as well as exploring the opportunities to harness the power of food to unite urban consumers with farmers.
Thrings will be using Twitter to keep clients and colleagues up-to-date with the latest news, views and key developments from Oxford via @ThringsAgri.
For more information about the OFC, please click here.
